DATE=4/28/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=INDONESIA / POLITICS - UPDATE (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261798
BYLINE=PATRICIA NUNAN
DATELINE=JAKARTA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A cabinet minister fired by Indonesian
President Wahid has rejected the president's
allegations that he engaged in corruption. But
as Patricia Nunan reports from Jakarta, the
former official, Laksamana Sukardi, opposes a
cabinet walk-out by members of his party.
TEXT: Dismissed cabinet minister Laksamana
Sukardi has denied he committed any wrongdoing in
the appointments of eight officials to the
government-owned telecommunications company.
/// SUKARDI/ ACT///
About allegations of corruption in
Indonesia, these allegations should be
proven and brought to court instead of
giving a slanderous accusation that is
baseless and groundless.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Sukardi, a member of the Indonesian
Democratic Party of Struggle, the P-D-I, was
minister of investment and state enterprises. He
was fired by President Wahid Monday. The
president alleged the officials appointed by Mr.
Sukardi are known to be dishonest.
Yusuf Kalla of the Golkar party, who held the
post of minister of trade and industry, was also
fired. He too denies charges of corruption.
President Wahid's decision to fire the two
cabinet members angered other P-D-I and Golkar
members. Leaders of both parties threatened to
withdraw their remaining members from the cabinet
to protest the president's decision.
But after meeting with the head of P-D-I, Vice
President Megawati Sukarnoputri, Mr. Sukardi says
he is not in favor of the move.
/// SUKARDI ACT ///
Whether P-D-I will withdraw the ministers
from the cabinet -- I highly recommend
Megawati should not withdraw.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Wahid removed the two ministers after a team
from the International Monetary Fund warned the
president that it wants to see real progress in
the implementation of financial reforms, before
it agrees to release 400 million dollars in loans
to Indonesia. The funds were delayed last month
because the I-M-F said the government has been
slow to apply several key reform measures.
Some cabinet members accused the president of
making Mr. Sukardi and Mr. Kalla scapegoats for
the loan delays.
It is the fourth cabinet reshuffle by the
president in his six months in office and it
prompted parliament to summon President Wahid to
a five-hour questioning on Thursday. The
reshuffles have given rise to criticism that the
cabinet is becoming paralyzed by factionalism.
This week's political disputes also sent jitters
through financial markets -- with the Indonesian
currency breaking eight thousand to the U-S
dollar -- its lowest rate since President Wahid
took office in October.
NEB/PN/FC/KL
NEB/
28-Apr-2000 07:32 AM EDT (28-Apr-2000 1132 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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